Inside the Artemis, Will and the provincial leaders made their way across the main bridge. As they paused, Mackie, sitting in the captain's chair, rose and walked up to Will and kneeled before him.
"At ease, Admiral." Will said. Mackie then stood back up. "Do we have the homing beacon locked in?"
"Affirmative, my liege." Mackie said. "The terrorist is parked at the Tower Prime and has likely made his way in as we speak."
"Excellent." Will said. "Power us up and take her to the skies."
"Yes, my liege." Mackie said. He then turned to the rest of the crew. "Alright, men, take her up!"
The rest of the crew turned to their positions and began powering on the ship as the various members confirmed the statuses of each of the ship's functions.
"Activation of starboard and port stabilizers. Check."
"Powering on of main turbines. Check."
"Powering on of auxiliary turbines. Check."
"Interior pressurizing systems are normal."
"Vertical thrusters at 100% power."
"Horizontal thrusters at 100% power."
"Communication systems are all functional."
Mackie then gave the order.
"Releasing hangar supports in 3…2…1…Take off."
The ship then lifted off the ground, gradually gaining speed. After a few seconds, the city skyline could be seen out of its large, panoramic window.
"Take her to the Tower Prime and wait for my signal." Will said. "And try not to make us noticed."
Mackie then punched in a few commands on the armrest of his chair.
"Activating camouflage imagery." Mackie said.
The ship then appeared to vanish among the dusk sky as it made its way to its destination.
'I guess I owe you one, Hannibal.' Will thought to himself.
Back at the Tower Prime, Caleb and Isaac felt the elevator come to a stop. Once the doors opened, loud music permeated the area and entered their ears. It seemed to be some sort of electronic music, progressive house to be exact. Caleb and Isaac slowly walked down a wide hallway where two bouncers guarded a nearby doorway. The bouncers paid them no notice as they made their way inside and saw that they were inside a nightclub: The floor was lit up with alternating blue lights while multicolored lights shone from above, people were dancing to the beats of the music. Those who weren't dancing were either sitting at the massive bar at the center, drinking cocktail after cocktail, or sitting in one of the posh chairs being given lap-dances by scantly-clad women or even making out with them. At the end of the club was a raised platform where a DJ was giving the musical selections. He was standing behind very high-tech equipment and surrounded by what appeared to be some sort of tiny floating crystals.
"How are we supposed to find Kurnip in all of this mess?" Isaac said.
Caleb then looked around to see that some of the partygoers were glaring at them suspiciously.
"Keep them busy while I look around." Caleb said.
"How do you suppose I do that?" Isaac asked.
"I don't know." Caleb said. "Just dance, loosen up, have a good time."
"I can't dance." Isaac said.
"Well now's the perfect time to learn, don't you think?" Caleb said. He then walked off.
After scanning the perimeter, he came across a man in an all-white suit and combed white hair, laughing and conversing with one of his patrons.
"Excuse me, Sir." Caleb said. The man turned and faced him.
"Can I help you, young man?" He asked. "What is it that's so important that it has to interrupt my pleasant conversation."
"I'm looking for Alfred N. Kurnip." Caleb said.
"I see." The man said smiling.
"Do you know him?" Caleb asked.
"Let's just say I'm a very close acquaintance of his." He said. "Someone who's so close, he's almost non-existent to anyone else."
"Don't play mind games with me, that's my job." Caleb said. "He's you, isn't he?"
"Guilty as charged." He said grinning. "What can I do you with?"
"Will's planning an invasion in South Paris and we hear you're leading a group of underground defectors."
"We?"
"Me and my partner-in-crime, Isaac." Caleb said. "We've come to bargain for your support and allow you to join our cause and repel the invasion."
"And you are?"
"My name is Caleb Stern." Caleb said.
"Ah yes." Kurnip said. "The little rapscallion who has the bounty on his head."
"I'm the only means of defense in the south city." Caleb said. "Without me, Will will no longer feel threatened and carry on the invasion."
"So why leave them to their doom?"
"I just told you." Caleb said. "We need to bargain for your support should anything happen. I'm lucky to have made it this far already."
"'Tis a conversation needed to be secluded from these low-class dogs." Kurnip said. "Come with me."
Caleb then turned to Isaac, who was showing off his moves.
"Isaac, I found Kurnip!" He shouted. "Now come on."
Isaac then stopped dancing and followed Caleb and Kurnip up to the end of the room. Kurnip then tapped on the wall revealing a hidden staircase.
"Here's my private lounge. We'll discuss things there." Kurnip said. He then turned to the DJ.
"Move on to the next mix, my friend." He said. "The guests are looking for a change in pace."
The DJ just nodded as he touched one of the 'crystals' in front of him and dragged it towards three others. He then pulled them out and placed them on a flat device. He tapped it a few times and suddenly the music faded away and changed.
"Let's go."
Kurnip led them upstairs to a large room. Inside the room were two sofas and a minibar. On one of the walls was a large window that overlooked the rest of the club.
"Can I get you something to drink?" Kurnip asked.
"I'll have a shot of your hardest rum." Isaac said.
"Give me an Everclear." Caleb said.
"Coming right up." Kurnip said walking over to the bar. Isaac couldn't help but notice the odd way their host was walking; almost as if he had a combination of a limp and stiff legs.
As Kurnip reached behind the bar, he pressed a small button right underneath the counter. Outside, a giant beacon lit up on top of the tower. Kurnip then grabbed their drinks and handed them to his guests.
"Now where were we?" Kurnip asked.
"We need your resistance to counter a potential invasion by the regime upon our city." Caleb said. "I have a hunch that Will's planning something on a much larger scale than we can comprehend and I can't do it alone."
"You have a hunch?" He asked.
"Yes, but we have evidence." Isaac said. "He rebuilt a computer program called XANA and he's using him and Zoltan to spread throughout the Internet, carrying out Will's orders."
"A computer program?" Kurnip said laughing. "He must be crazy."
"The problem is that XANA was pretty vague on the details and if we go back, Zoltan will have us killed." Isaac said. "He already proved to be more than a match to Caleb, imagine what XANA could do to us."
"You know that nobody would believe such a ridiculous story, don't you?" Kurnip asked. "Because of that, it has to be true."
"So you'll help us?" Caleb said.
"Oh, sure." Kurnip said walking to the bar. "Just let me grab something."
In the skies right outside the tower, the Artemis had just arrived at its destination. A few hatch doors opened on each side of the ship and a dozen Grand Army soldiers jumped out. They pressed a few buttons on their wrist armor and suddenly gossamer wing-like substance came from their arms and they began gliding to the tower.
Isaac, still suspicious, happened to notice the liquor license hanging on the bar and saw Kurnip's name spelled out.
"Alfred N. Kurnip…Alfred N. Kurnip." Isaac said to himself. "Why does that…?"
Isaac's eyes just widened.
"Oh no…"
He then jumped up and dragged Caleb out of his seat.
"We gotta get out of here, now!" Isaac said.
"What are you doing?" Caleb said. "We have yet to finish the deal."
"There is no deal, we've been set up!" Isaac said.
"What are you talking about?"
"Alfred N Kurnip is…"
Just then, a pair of Grand Army soldiers burst into the lounge wile more soldiers crashed onto the main floor.
"Hold your fire." Kurnip said pulling out a gun. "We need him alive."
"Run!" Caleb said as he and Isaac broke through the window and jumped onto the main floor.
There, they found themselves surrounded by Grand Army soldiers on one side and bar patrons holding guns and other weapons on the other side.
"For my wife, Caleb Stern!" Kurnip shouted.
"We can take these guys." Caleb said drawing a pair of knives.
The bar patrons and soldiers then ran over to Caleb firing their guns. But Caleb and Isaac just dodged the attacks and knocked each soldier and bar scum out. Isaac swung his staff while Caleb threw knives and used the Everclear in his hand and a match as his makeshift flamethrower. Kurnip then fired his gun at Caleb's feet.
"Dance, you slum rat terrorist!" Kurnip shouted while shooting and laughing maniacally.
Caleb tried to dodge the bullets as he continued to fight off more soldiers and patrons. Isaac tried to block an attack with his staff, but a soldier blasted it, breaking it in half. After that, another patron ran up and punched him in the abdomen. Isaac then fell to the ground, clutching his stomach in pain.
"Isaac!" Caleb said running up to his companion.
However, Caleb paused when he felt something hard hit him in the back of the head. He was beaned with the barrel of a rifle and fell to the ground, disoriented.
Kurnip just fired his gun in the air in celebration as the rest of the patrons proceeded to kick and beat both Isaac and Caleb.
As the Grand Army was about to claim their prize, the lights dimmed and the patrons and Grand Army turned to see Olivia standing by the entrance.
"Take them down." Olivia said.
Immediately, a group of South Parisians, led by none other then Sharpshooter, made their way into the club and attacked many of the patrons and soldiers. Kurnip could only watch as Olivia walked up to Caleb and Isaac.
"Get up." Olivia said. "We have to leave now."
But it was too late; a nearby soldier shot a long cable from its wrist and trapped Olivia in it. The soldier then picked up Olivia while two other picked up Caleb and Isaac.
Immediately, giant beams of light came down and surrounded each of the soldiers. The soldiers then levitated up out of the building.
"Tactical retreat!" Sharpshooter said. "We've done all we could."
Leaving the patrons to succumb to their wounds, the South Parisians crashed through the windows and slid down the side of the building using long ropes.
In the sky, Olivia looked around and noticed she was being pulled up alongside her two friends. They eventually stopped when they were brought inside a large dark area: The inside of the mighty Artemis.
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